Premier League
IT’S 15 YEARS SINCE THE GLAZERS’ £790M BUY-OUT OF MANCHESTER UNITED: RUNNING OR RUINING THE CLUB?
The Glazer family has never been ones for the details of running Manchester United.
When he first arrived at Old Trafford with his two brothers 15 years ago, behind the tinted glass of a Volkswagen people carrier, Joel Glazer grabbed the first products he could lay his hands on in the club store — a £27 blue away shirt plus a few ‘I love Man United‘ T-shirts — and rushed off for his next engagement.
His brother, Avie, went for an £18 plastic United rucksack.
It was something Joel said the following day in the Old Trafford International Lounge after gathering 550 staff — from the tea ladies to chief executive David Gill — for a 15-minute briefing which proved prophetic in light of all that has followed.
‘Our view is that this club has such a rich history and tradition that we’re not looking to change,’ declared Joel who, like Avie, their brother Bryan and late father Malcolm, has refused any media interviews about United from that day until this.
Concerns that the Glazers would bleed the club dry of transfer market investment after their £790million leveraged buy-out have proved spectacularly unfounded. Gill’s successor Ed Woodward has presided over a bigger outlay than Paris Saint-Germain in the past five years.
It is the Glazers’ absentee status and neglect — an indifference to any suggestion that the club might need to change — which has proved so devastating when fellow Americans Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have delivered such impressive strategic oversight down the M62 at Liverpool.
There were certainly grounds to leave things alone when Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson navigated the ship in the first eight years of Glazer command.
Consider, for example, the legendary quiz nights at the team hotel which always took place on the eve of European away matches.
Set by the club photographer John Peters, they were monumentally competitive, with Nicky Butt and Roy Keane incandescent with rage if they felt they had been wrongly denied points.
They reflected the extraordinarily tight nature of a club in which everyone understood the question-master’s sometimes obscure references to British life and culture.
It was around 2008, when the team become more multi-national and some
players did not understand the questions, that the quizzes were faded out.
The decision-making processes were supremely tight back then, too. At 8am every Friday, Gill would meet Ferguson at the Carrington training ground for the weekly meeting at which gaps in the squad and ongoing conversations about targets would be discussed. Football success is about judgment and they all trusted each other.
Jim Lawlor, the chief scout, ambled into Ferguson’s office one day to say it had struck him that Henrik Larsson’s season at Helsingborg was about to finish and he might be a stop-gap solution to the temporary problem of an injury to Louis Saha. ‘We’ll do it,’ said Ferguson. He and Gill always acted decisively.
The Glazers’ decision to allow Ferguson and Gill — the brains trust of Manchester United — to leave in the same summer said everything about what happens when owners are semi-detached.
If Woodward had operated with Ferguson for a few years, the outcome may have been very different. He and Gill had mapped things in such a way that the club only liked to make one or two changes each year.
But the managerial revolving door since Ferguson left has brought coaches with no time for many of the players they have inherited — particularly Jose Mourinho — and left Woodward constantly shipping them in and out in big numbers while lacking the football knowledge to cope.
There are occasional chinks of light. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s last summer transfer window was arguably United’s best since Ferguson stepped down. But the emergency stop-gap striker Odion Ighalo, who has spent the past three years in China, on £165,000-a-week wages — was a far cry from Larsson.
The deal asked questions about what on earth United’s player acquisition system has come to. Woodward, a physicist, is a great believer in data. He likes to throw resources at decisions and be presented with empirical evidence — numbers — as to why a player should be signed.
Part of the expanded United scouting system is the creation of a battery of reports on virtually every player. There can be too much information, say some who know United well.
Gill, an economist, tended to apply science to the real world, as individuals in that profession often do. There would be an element of human judgment.
For Woodward’s Radamel Falcao, read Gill and Ferguson’s calamitous Bebe, the unknown signed in 2010. Both players are thought to have been hired after deadline-day phone calls from Jorge Mendes. Falcao was only marginally the better.
Yet the Glazers appear utterly oblivious to the fact the club is listing and lacks direction, while FSG have inserted Bostonian Mike Gordon — a significant figure at Anfield — and British-American Peter Moore.
United are torn between wanting to send a message to the market that they will not overpay and a need to spend.
They waited an entire window to buy Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon and ended up getting him for the same price they would have paid in the first place.
The same fearful decision-making applied to the signing of Harry Maguire.
When Liverpool were thwarted in their attempt to buy Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, they simply went back later and upped the offer by £15m — and got their man. They know what their priorities are and act accordingly.
To owners with a modicum of curiosity, Woodward’s track record would now be coming under scrutiny. He did sharpen up the commercial operation when he took charge. But, contrary to popular belief, it is group managing director Richard Arnold, not Woodward, who has been bringing in noodle sponsors and myriad other deals which have made United a fortune.
A broader, more strategic perspective would also tell the ruling dynasty that Woodward has presided over Old Trafford becoming an aged, careworn place, in desperate need of upgrade and renewal at a time when Arsenal’s and Tottenham’s arenas place them miles ahead.
The technically challenging expansion of Anfield is something FSG have applied themselves to and the stadium is hugely enhanced.
Now is the point of greatest opportunity to install a director of football. There will not be the kind of opposition from Solskjaer that a signature managerial appointee like Mauricio Pochettino would present in a quest for power and authority.
Delegating responsibility to a board director who knows the game would also give Woodward greater justification for retaining the services of Solskjaer, who has struggled.
These are decisions for the invisible men who took the club over, but no one is expecting a revolution.
After that souvenir hunt in 2005, the brothers beat a hasty retreat through the Old Trafford North Stand door, squealing off up Sir Matt Busby Way minutes later in the people carrier.
At that point, Sir Bobby Charlton ambled out into the sunshine, where he was accosted by fans deeply concerned about what the future might hold with the Glazers. ‘I don’t expect we’ll see much of them,’ he said.
-Daily Mail
Premier League
Arsenal Paint London Red with Premier League Victory Parade Despite Champions League Heartbreak
Thousands of jubilant Arsenal supporters flooded the streets of north London on Sunday as the club celebrated its first Premier League title in 22 years, putting aside the disappointment of losing the UEFA Champions League final just 24 hours earlier.
The celebrations came less than a day after Arsenal suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest. Yet the setback did little to dampen the spirits of the club’s faithful, who turned out in huge numbers to honour a historic domestic triumph.
Players and coaching staff paraded through north London aboard an open-top bus, proudly displaying the Premier League trophy that Arsenal had finally reclaimed for the first time since Arsène Wenger’s legendary “Invincibles” side lifted it in the 2003-04 season.
Arsenal had wrapped up the title before the final round of fixtures after establishing an unassailable lead over defending champions Manchester City, who eventually finished seven points adrift of Mikel Arteta’s side.
The league crown marked Arsenal’s first major trophy since Arteta guided the club to FA Cup success in 2020 during his debut season as manager. It also ended years of frustration after the Gunners had finished runners-up in the Premier League in each of the previous three seasons.
Red flares, fireworks and the sound of vuvuzelas filled the air as supporters celebrated a long-awaited return to the summit of English football.
“We’re not European champions, but we are champions of England, and that’s what matters right now,” said Arsenal supporter Julien Guillenenat. “We’re happy to celebrate with everyone.”
Another fan, 44-year-old Mathieu Garnier, believes the Premier League triumph has finally removed the psychological burden that had weighed heavily on the team.
“Three years in a row we finished second, and now that pressure is gone,” he said. “These players are going to be flying next season. I really believe that.”
Adding to the festivities was Arsenal’s women’s team, who joined the celebrations after their successful FIFA Champions Cup campaign this season.
Midfielder Declan Rice, signed from West Ham United in 2023 for a club-record £105 million, said the title triumph had silenced many of the club’s critics.
“People were pointing and laughing at us before,” Rice told Sky Sports. “What happened? They’re not laughing anymore. I love this team, I love this manager, and to see the joy we’ve brought to the fans is incredible.
“Next season we’re coming back for more.”
Despite the pain of falling short in Europe, many Arsenal supporters remain optimistic that the club will soon challenge again for continental glory.
Twenty-two-year-old fan Theo Grant believes the Champions League disappointment will only strengthen the squad’s resolve.
“Honestly, this loss will give the players even more motivation,” he said. “We’ll be back. I believe we’ll reach the final again next season.”
For Arsenal supporters, however, Sunday was not about what might have been in Europe. It was about celebrating the end of a 22-year wait to be crowned champions of England once again.
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Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday and still face the risk of relegation from the Premier League in their final game of the season this weekend after goals either side of halftime from the home side’s Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos.
Fernandez let rip with a dipping shot from over 25 metres that Antonin Kinsky could not get close to in the 18th minute, electrifying the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge as the home fans revelled in the misery of their North London rivals.
The Argentina midfielder turned provider for Chelsea’s second goal in the 67th, cushioning a high ball into the feet of Santos, who scored from close range.
Richarlison got one back for Spurs in the 74th minute, but the defeat means Tottenham remain two points above West Ham United, who currently occupy the last relegation spot.
However, Spurs have a much better goal difference, meaning a draw at home to Everton on Sunday would all but guarantee their Premier League survival.
Chelsea, fresh from announcing former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso as their next manager after a limp 2025/26 campaign, climbed to eighth place, which offers a berth in the UEFA Conference League next season
The Blues, who lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, are one point behind Brighton & Hove Albion, who currently occupy the last of the Europa League spots.
Spurs had only themselves to blame for Tuesday’s defeat.
After Mathys Tel hit the post with a header in the 11th minute, they allowed Chelsea to dominate until Richarlison’s goal raised their hopes of rescuing the point they needed.
Substitute James Maddison looked sure to equalise in the 84th, but Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato stretched out a leg to block his angled shot.
The win was Chelsea’s first in the Premier League since March 4, giving their fans something to celebrate after a miserable run that included six consecutive league defeats.
It also means Spurs have only won once at Stamford Bridge since 1990.
-Reuters
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Arsenal F.C. have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City F.C. were held to a 1-1 draw by AFC Bournemouth, ending the most dramatic title race of recent seasons and completing a remarkable transformation under manager Mikel Arteta.
The title triumph marks Arsenal’s first league championship since the legendary “Invincibles” side led by Arsène Wenger went unbeaten throughout the 2003-04 campaign.
For Arteta, it represents the crowning moment of a rebuilding project that began when he replaced Unai Emery in December 2019. The Spaniard inherited a struggling Arsenal side but gradually rebuilt the club into genuine title contenders, guiding them to second-place finishes in each of the previous three seasons before finally ending Manchester City’s dominance.
Arsenal appeared in danger of suffering another late collapse after surrendering a nine-point lead earlier in the campaign, particularly following City’s crucial victory over them at the Etihad Stadium in April.
However, the momentum shifted again when City stumbled with a draw against Everton, allowing Arsenal to seize control of the race.
The North London club responded impressively, winning four consecutive matches without conceding a goal, including Monday’s tense 1-0 victory over Burnley F.C. that piled pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side heading into their trip to Bournemouth.
City’s failure to secure victory finally confirmed Arsenal as champions, triggering emotional celebrations among supporters gathered around the Emirates Stadium.
Fans watching the decisive match in nearby pubs poured onto the streets at the final whistle, while thousands more marched toward the Emirates within minutes of the title being secured.
Arteta had admitted before the match that he expected it to be difficult watching City’s game because of the enormous stakes involved, but the Spaniard ultimately witnessed the completion of one of the most significant managerial achievements in modern Arsenal history.
The Gunners will officially receive the Premier League trophy after their final game of the season against Crystal Palace F.C. at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Arsenal’s triumph could yet become part of an even greater achievement.
The club now have the opportunity to complete a historic double when they face Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in the UEFA Champions League final on May 30.
Only five English clubs have previously managed to win both the league title and the European Cup in the same season, with Manchester City the last side to achieve the feat in 2023.
The title success also signals a changing of the guard in English football.
With Guardiola expected to leave Manchester City after a decade in charge, Arteta — once his assistant at City — is poised to become the longest-serving manager across England’s top four divisions, underlining how dramatically his status has risen since arriving at Arsenal less than seven years ago.
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